College Cost Calculator
Estimate annual net price, planned borrowing and multi-year college costs.
College Board 2025-26: Public four-year, in-state, on-campus.
Cash, loans and projections
Funding amounts are assumed to recur each year. Loan interest, fees, award renewals and eligibility are not modeled.
First-year net price
$30,990.00
$30,990.00 costs minus $0.00 grants applied.
- First-year cost of attendance
- $30,990.00
- Cash and work income applied in year 1
- $0.00
- Borrowing applied in year 1
- $0.00
- Unfunded gap in year 1
- $30,990.00
- Net price across 4 years
- $123,960.00
- Borrowing applied across 4 years
- $0.00
- Unfunded gap across 4 years
- $123,960.00
- Average first-year net price per term (2/year)
- $15,495.00
- Tuition + mandatory fees per credit
- $398.33
Year-by-year projection
0% annual cost change, with unchanged annual funding budgets. No guarantee of future prices or aid renewal.
| Year | Total cost | Grants applied | Net price | Borrowing applied | Unfunded gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $30,990.00 | $0.00 | $30,990.00 | $0.00 | $30,990.00 |
| 2 | $30,990.00 | $0.00 | $30,990.00 | $0.00 | $30,990.00 |
| 3 | $30,990.00 | $0.00 | $30,990.00 | $0.00 | $30,990.00 |
| 4 | $30,990.00 | $0.00 | $30,990.00 | $0.00 | $30,990.00 |
Net price is not the same as the funding gap
Federal Student Aid defines net price using costs minus grants and scholarships. Family cash, work income and loans help finance that price; they do not make college cheaper in the same way as a grant.
For example, $12,000 in costs minus $5,000 in grants gives $7,000 net price. Applying a $6,000 loan leaves $1,000 unfunded, but net price is still $7,000 and the loan must be repaid. This example does not assume that a particular student qualifies for that loan.
The Department of Education Net Price Calculator Center links to institutional estimates. A school-specific aid offer and cost breakdown are stronger inputs than a national average.
College Board budget references, 2025-26
Enrollment-weighted estimates for full-time undergraduates in the stated sector and living arrangement. These are institutional budget allowances, not measurements of each student's spending. Mandatory fees are already included with tuition.
| Sector | Tuition + fees | Housing + food | Books | Transport | Other | Annual total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public four-year, in-state, on-campus | $11,950 | $13,900 | $1,330 | $1,380 | $2,430 | $30,990 |
| Public four-year, out-of-state, on-campus | $31,880 | $13,900 | $1,330 | $1,380 | $2,430 | $50,920 |
| Private nonprofit four-year, on-campus | $45,000 | $15,920 | $1,340 | $1,190 | $2,020 | $65,470 |
| Public two-year, in-district, commuter | $4,150 | $10,850 | $1,570 | $2,070 | $2,680 | $21,320 |
Cost components reviewed 2026-09-07. Multiplying an annual reference by four models four unchanged years; it is not an observed average cost of a completed degree.
Before comparing offers
Housing arrangements, residency rules, program fees, transfer-credit acceptance and aid renewal can change costs. A commuter budget still includes living expenses. Moving off campus or transferring schools does not guarantee savings or on-time completion.
The Student Aid Index is an eligibility index, not a cash contribution. A work-study award is not money already earned. Loans add repayment obligations and can have fees or interest that this cost model does not include.
Related planning: financial aid, Student Aid Index, student budget, college comparison and college savings.
For separate repayment and earnings scenarios, see loan repayment and graduate school ROI. This calculator does not predict employment, earnings, aid eligibility or loan approval.
Reviewed September 7, 2026. Planning estimates are not an aid offer, loan approval or school bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is college net price calculated?
Net price is cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Loans, work income and family savings can fund that price, but do not reduce it. This cost model stops net price at zero and flags grant amounts above the modeled costs.
Are the budget examples a financial aid offer?
No. The examples reproduce 2025-26 College Board sector budgets for full-time undergraduates, with the stated living arrangement. They do not award aid, predict your school bill or determine residency. Initial grant and financing amounts are zero until entered.
How much remains if college costs $12,000 and grants cover $5,000?
The net price is $7,000. A $6,000 loan would leave a $1,000 funding gap if no other funds are available. Net price remains $7,000 because the loan must be repaid.
Does the multi-year projection include inflation?
Only the annual cost-change assumption you enter. The default is 0%, meaning unchanged costs. The same grant, cash, earnings and loan budgets recur each year in this model; renewal, eligibility and income are not guaranteed.
Why can applied borrowing be smaller than my loan budget?
The model applies cash and planned earnings before loans, then uses only enough of the loan budget to cover the remaining modeled cost. Unused loan budget is not treated as borrowed money. This does not determine legal borrowing limits, approval, interest or repayment terms.
What does cost per term or credit mean?
The term figure divides first-year net price evenly by the term count. Actual billing can be uneven. Tuition and mandatory fees per credit exclude housing and other living costs, and do not determine a school charge per course.